For a time such as this.
Hello Church,
I stopped at the Church today to pray for you all. As I was reflecting on this Lords day, I was encouraged by looking back upon all the past Sunday morning sermons that I have heard and preached. They were given to prepare you for a time such as this. Fear not! Trust! Believe upon the name of the Lord! He is with you! Take some time today to remember those messages that proclaimed the power of our Lord that He is Lord of all that He is sovereign over all and tht He reigns. The Lord is seated on His throne and is in full control. He declares the beginning from the end. See Isaiah 46:10 Jesus says in John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” You know that that means? No one can separate you from Christ! No one means no one. Not even yourself. You cannot even separate yourself from Him. No one can separate you or snatch you from His hand. Do you believe this? Do you believe that in Christ you are more than a conqueror. T
he Bible also encourages us and tells us in Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Does that not give you peace and hope? I pray it does! Nothing in all creation can separate you from Christ! That includes Covid-19
All the Sundays Sermons and all the Sundays schools have been meant to encourage you and prepare you for a time such as this. So that when the storm comes you would not fear but trust in the Lord and Trust that He will see you through the fire and the storm.
Today is the day of salvation now is the time for the Church to rise up and boldly proclaim to a lost and dying World the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has overcome the World and on the cross defeated the power of sin and death and all who confess with the mouth and believe in their heart that He is Lord will be saved.
Church. We confess that Christ is Risen! We believe that He is the way the truth and the life that no one comes to the Father but through Him. We believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life! We believe that He forgives and pardons our sin and gives us eternal life. We believe and confess that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Right? Then we should not fear when the world around us seems to be crumbling and the foundations breaking for We stand upon the Solid Rock of Christ. Our house is built upon the Rock not upon sinking sand. AMEN! Can I get another Amen. So have peace, hope and comfort no matter what happens in this World. Jesus has overcome the World. Hear Him this day as he says “fear not” He is our refuge our fortress and strength. In Him do we trust. Do not put your hope in anything or anyone but the Lord God Almighty. For as the Prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Church since the beginning of time the Dark powers of the World have been trying to stop the Good news of the Gospel. Politicians, Philosophers , People, Poverty ,Prosperity, and now even Pandemics. They cannot stop or defeat the Gospel. No person or thing is greater than God. We stand on the Word of God and trust it to the end. Stay faithful. Take this verse to the bank. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Learn to love the word “but” in the Bible. Did you hear it di you see it. The World can be shaken and destroyed but God will not depart from you. He keeps His promises. From everlasting to everlasting. He is forever faithful!
We should have this same level of alertness and concern for the lost even after this crisis is over because the real crisis and the real problem of mankind is Sin. For it is sin that separates us from God. It is not the corona virus that will separate unbelievers from God and place them under His eternal wrath it is the sin of unbelief. The corona virus is just another result of the fallen and sinful world. If this crisis brings people back to the Lord and makes them cry out to Him in repentance confessing sin and receiving His forgiveness. Praise the Lord. The mission of the Church is not stopped by the pandemic. We are still called to go into all the World and make disciples. Rise up Church and put on the full armor of God! Ephesians 4 Pray for that family member, pray for that friend, pray for that stranger who does not know Jesus and the gift of forgiveness and eternal life that He offers. 2 Corinthians 2:6 says For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Stay strong in the Lord and pray many come to Jesus today. Amen!
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace, God’s grace is greater than all our sin!
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you
Pastor Gary